Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Want to know the real secret to truly beautiful skin? All Natural. Think about it. Why would you ever want to use a beauty soap that contains chemicals or harsh detergents that can be dry and irritating to the skin? A beauty soap made from all natural ingredients is not only healthier than chemically made soaps; it can also leave your skin feeling luxurious and looking beautiful. There are many manufacturers who have stepped up to the plate and created a line of naturally made beauty soaps, but often they can be very expensive, especially if you’re on a budget. A much more reasonable alternative is to make your own.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Exfoliating Shea Butter Soap

What You Need:

1 bar of all-natural olive oil soap

½ cup distilled water

1 tbsp finely ground almonds

2 tbsp shea butter, unprocessed

· Grate the olive oil soap until you have about 2 cups worth and add it to a double boiler along with the distilled water.

· Melt the mixture over medium high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture has melted and is a stringy texture.

· Remove the mixture from heat and add the shea butter and almonds. Stir gently to blend.

· Pour the soap into a plastic soap container (used for traveling) or a small plastic food container. Allow the soap to harden for several hours before removing it from the container.

· Place the soap on a drying rack and let set for at least 3 weeks. Turn the soap at least once a day to prevent the bar from warping.

· Once the 3 weeks are up, wrap the soap in plastic wrap to preserve until use.

Herbal Soap

What You Need:

½ cup sesame oil

3 tbsp grated beeswax

2 tbsp chamomile tea

1 tbsp lanolin

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tsp honey

1/8 tsp baking soda

· Melt all of the ingredients in a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly. Don’t let the mixture boil!

· Pour the soap into a plastic soap container (used for traveling) or a small plastic food container. Allow the soap to harden before removing from the container.

· Wrap the soap in plastic wrap to preserve until use.

· For a variety, you can try a different herb such as peppermint.

Apple Cinnamon Soap

What You Need:

4 oz . unscented glycerine soap

1 tsp liquid glycerine

½ tsp apple fragrance oil

½ tsp ground cinnamon

· Melt the soap in a double boiler over low heat. Add the liquid gylcerine and stir well.